Protection screen for airplane cockpits



Dec. l, 1925 N. g... KEARNEY PROTECTION SCREEN FOR AIRPLANE COCK-FITSvFiled A'pril s, 1924 lrllln/ ,wlllln imwillln #w Sllllv Patented Dec.1, 1925.

UNITED STATES NORMAN L. KEARNEY, 0F DAYTON, OHIO.

Application filed April 8, 1924..

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN L. KnAnNnr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Protection Screens forAirplane Cockpits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a protection screen to serve as a guard infront of the instrument board in an airplane or other vehicle andprevent injury to the pilot in the event of a. crash, it being foundthat in many instances casualties resulted merely due to -the pilotfracturing` his skull by engaging projections on the instrument boardsuch as a compass or ignition lever or the like, as he hinged forward atthe instant of the crash.

The invention provides a screen preferably removably mounted in spacedrelation to the instrument board so that free access can be had to theinstruments in the operation of the plane, the screen being of asufficiently large mesh that the instruments are in clear view throughthe same.

In` the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the cockpit portion of an airplanefuselage showing a screen provided in front of the instrument board inaccordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on a reduced scale of the cockpitportion of the fuselage Showing the relation of the screen to theinstrument board.

The protection screen l0 may be made of any suitable material and ispreferably made of a small mesh netting which enables a clear view ofthe instruments therebehind, but which nevertheless is of a size whichprevents injury to the pilot by preventing engagement with any of theinstruments or controls located on the instrument board ll in the eventof a crash. There are usually about ten or twelve instruments located onthe instrument board most of which have portions projecting from theplane of the instrument board and have sharp edges which constitutequite a hazard when it is considered that they are in direct line withthe pilots head, and may be struck as he is caused to lunge forward inthe cockpit when the plane crashes. The screen l0 is convenientlyprovided with a frame 12 removably mounted in the fuselage in front ofthe instrument board, In Fig. 2 it is seen that PROTECTION SCREEN vFORAIRELANE COCKPITS.

Serial N0. 705,006.

ample space is left between the screen and the` instrument boardpermitting free access to the instruments and controls on the board. Itis of advantage to have the screen removable in the event it becomesnecessary7 to rcplace or repair any of the instruments or controls. Itis apparent that aside from the function which the screen performs as asafety measure, it serves also as a protection against possible injuryto the instruments when work is being done on the plane.

l. In a vehicle, the combination with the instrument and control boardin front of operator which constitutes a hazard because liable to impactin the event of a crash, of a protective screen to prevent such impactspaced sufficiently from said board to permit free access thereto formanual manipulation or adjustment thereof.

j 2. In an airplane cockpit the combination with the instrument board ofa transverse screen in front of the same to be engaged before theinstruments or controls on the board to avoid injury to the aviator inthe case of a crash, and also to avoid injury to the instruments underother circumstances.

3. In an airplane cockpit, the combination with an instrument board of aframed screen removably mounted in front of said board a suiiicientdistance away therefrom to permit free access to the instruments orcontrols on the board, the screen being of a size permitting` a clearunobstructed view of the in struments and controls.

4L. In an airplane cockpit, the combination with an instrument board, ofa framed screen removably mounted in front of said board close enough topermit free access to the instruments and controls on the board, and asuiiicient distance away that the eX- pansion of the screen caused by animpact by the operator would be less than the distance of the screenfrom said board.

5. In an airplane cockpit, the combination with an instrument board of aframed screen removably mounted in front of said board a suiiicientdistance away therefrom to permit free access to the instruments orcontrols on the board, the screen being of small mesh so that theexpansion of the same caused by an impact by the operator would be lessthan the distance of the screen fromsaid board.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature.

VNmnnnv L. KEARNIJYr9

